Xsee a arable joint



L. l. BECKWITH.

SEPARABLE JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1917.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

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Specification of Letters ltatent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Application filed January 17, 1917. Serial No. 142,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS ISAAC BECK- WITH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in separable Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to separable joints for knock-clown structures, such as metal meat-racks and other racks designed for heavy loads, where rigidity and the prevention of play between the parts are important requisites.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a corner joint illustrating one embodiment of the invention; 1 V

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 1- is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. og-and Fig. 7 is an elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5 viewed in the direction of the arrow 7.

The separable joints illustrated in the drawings are designed especially for use in frames comprising essentially vertical uprights and horizontal shelves supported be tween the uprights. One of the uprights, which are preferably made of metal rod or piping, is shown at 10. The lower joint member is formed in a bracket 11, which is preferably a metal casting, and is mounted to slide on the upright 10. The bracket 11 is secured in the desired position of adjustment by a set screw 12. The lower joint member comprises a concave curved wall 13 and a post 14, spaced one from the other. The surface of the wall 13 and the opposed surface 15 of the post preferably converge from the top downwardly, thus forming a downwardy tapering socket, open at the top. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a lower joint member of the construction above described is provided at each end of the bracket 11 for supporting a corner of a shelf at each side of the upright 10.

The upper joint member is in the form of a ca ti g 16, h g a curved Web 17, tap r ing from the top downwardly, and fitting into the space between the curved wall 13 and the post 14. The casting 16 is provided with a pair of laterally extending Wings 18 of angular cross section, to which are riveted or otherwise secured angle bars 19 fori'ning the frame of the shelf.

To insure the rigidity of the assembled joint and prevent relative angular rotation of the two members on the curved surfaces of the wall 13 and web 17, I provide mutually engaging abutments, herein shown as shoulders 21 formed on projections 20 of the upper member, engaging shoulders 22 on the lower member. Each pair of cooperating abutments, 21, 22, is located beyond the region of themutually fitting curves of the wall 13 and the web 17, and is disposed transversely of said engaging joint surfaces. Any tendency of the two joint members to rotate or slip angularly onthe curved surfaces is effectively checked by said abutments. 7

The modification shown in Figs. 5 to 7 comprises a bracket 11 for a single joint member instead of two, and possesses certain advantages in the saving of space in that the upright 10 is brought within the rectangle defined by the shelf. The bracket 11 instead of having a concave curved wall has a convex curved wall 13*; and the upper joint member 16 has a correspondingly curved web 17"* fitting into the space between the wall 13 and the post It The tapered form of the web and socket, and the angle wings 18 and shelf frame 19 may be the same as before. The abutments for preventing relative angular rotation of the two members are shown at 21 on the projection 20 of the upper member, and at 22 on the lower member. Said cooperating abutments, as before, are located beyond the region of the mutually engaging curved walls of the joint members. i

In either form the taper of the web and the socket, of the upper and lower members respectively, not only draws the mutually engaging curved surfaces tightly together but also draws the abutments into close engagement thus insuring the rigidity of the assembled joint.

I claim;

A separable joint for knockdown frames pr sing a lower member havin a ellr ed oally disposed cooperating wbutments located beyond the region of and extending outwardly from said mutually fitting curves. 10

Signed by me at Boston, this 4th day of January, 1917.

LOUIS ISAAC BECKWITH- 

